Emerald Heart
by NatashaKat
Summary: A tale of forbidden love for the Dragonborn. Dragonborn/OC
1. Chapter 1

I kneeled down and pulled the last arrow from the lifeless sabre cat. I placed all three arrows back into my quiver and continued on my trek to Windhelm. I had hoped to not run into any more wildlife, I'm completely exhausted and just lifting my bow drained life from me. The wind was unforgiving and cut through me like a blade. The snow pelted me in the face and made it almost impossible to see. I wanted to lie down and sleep for the night, but I realized there was only another hour or so before I reached Windhelm and I would be able to sleep in my own bed and next to the warm body of my wife. The thought of her brought a smile to my face. I warmed when I thought of the first time I ever saw her.

It was the first time I had been to Windhelm. I was there to seek out work from the Jarl. I had heard rumors that there had been a dragon nearby that was terrorizing the town quite often. I felt it my duty as the dragonborn to take out the dangerous beast. The Palace of Kings was my destination and upon entering the building, I glanced around the room and toward the throne. There was a long dining table in the center of the room and that's where I first lay eyes on her. She was sitting at the table, hands in her lap and looking as if she were trying to ignore the group of Stormcloaks around her. She didn't look like she belonged among them, she was fair and dressed in fine clothes. Her dark brown hair was trailing down her back and her cheeks were stained a light shade of pink. I remember wondering why she was so sad. From first sight of her I felt very drawn to her, which was strange as I normally have no attraction to women outside my own race, but there was something so different about her.

I realized I was just standing there staring at her when Jarl Ulfric cleared his throat.

"Why does a Khajiit approach my throne, better yet why are you in my city?" He barked as he stood from his throne. It took everything in me to not shout him to pieces.

"I'm here for the contract about the dragon." I replied as he approached me.

"That dragon has killed many of my men, and you think you can take it on by yourself?" The other Stormcloaks boomed with laughter.

My blood was boiling with anger and embarrassment. I could see the brunette beauty shaking her head from the corner of my eye. How could a woman of her status have compassion for me? It seemed to me since my time in Skyrim, that Nords didn't like anyone who wasn't a Nord. Why would she be any different? Once he had finished his laughing fit he handed me the contract.

With his face still red from laughter he managed to stammer out, "Good luck."

Once I defeated the dragon with ease, I became Ulfric's go to man for defense. He didn't like me but he knew he needed me. I could take out entire groups of bandits in a few hours, while every other man he hired could do no such thing. Every time I would arrive to the Palace of Kings to pick up a new contract, she would have health and stamina potions mixed up for me. I started to fall for her hard, but I knew she would have no interest in me.

I looked at the ring of matrimony on my finger and laughed a bit to myself how at first I couldn't see her feelings for me. It was only a few months ago that I finally realized that after a year of doing missions and contracts for her father, the Jarl, that she did have feelings for me.

I had been gone for well over a month clearing out the mines in the Reach of Forsworn. When I arrived to collect my bounty it was night, I knew Ulfric might be sleeping but I chanced it anyway. I stepped inside, only to be greeted by Jarlief, the Jarl's steward.

"The Jarl is discussing plans with the soldiers. Please have a seat at the table, he will be out with your bounty shortly."

I sat at the table and looked toward Heulwen's room. She was most likely asleep. I longed to see her, just the sight of her would surely sate my frazzled head. My eyes were heavy, I hadn't slept in nearly forty-eight hours. I was started to doze when I heard a gasp behind me.

Startled from my sleep, I quickly stood from the table and turned to see her standing in the doorway, "Zaagan!" She exclaimed as she ran toward me with her arms open.

She held onto me and started to weep. I placed my hands on her face and tilted her chin upward so I could look into her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" I questioned as I wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I didn't think I would see you again. You were gone for three months, I worried that you had gotten seriously hurt or killed!"

It was then that I knew she had the same feelings for me that I had for her. I pulled her closer to me and whispered that I loved her. It was joy to my ears when I heard her say she loved me too.

Our relationship is complicated one. Her father hates Khajiit, Argonians, Dark Elves and well basically any race other than his own. If he found out his only daughter was married to a khajiit he would more than likely behead me. Dragonborn or not, he still looks at me like I'm beneath him. It almost killed him to sell me Hjerim when I caught the Butcher. Heulwen had to wait until he was sleeping to go to Hjerim, which she considered to be her home.

My body filled with excitement when I saw the outline of Windhelm in the distance. After another mile of walking I made it to the bridge. I couldn't wait to see Heulwen. I acknowledged the guards on my way into the city. When I arrived at Hjerim I could see the faint glow of a candle coming from our bedroom. I sighed with relief; she was staying there every night waiting for my return. I dropped my bow and arrow quiver beside the door and stripped myself of my armor. There was a pot of warm water hanging over the fire so I took the opportunity to clean the blood and grime from my fur. Once I was dry, I dressed quickly and made my way to the stairs.

The outline of her body under the blankets was visible from the doorway to my room. She was sound asleep and breathing deeply. I blew out the candle and got under the blankets with her. I wrapped my arms around her, the heat from her body warmed me and I nuzzled the back of her neck. She sighed in her sleep as I traced my hands down her body. She woke slightly and rolled over. She pressed her lips to mine and pulled me on top of her.

"I missed you so much." She breathed.

"I missed you too. I love you."

"I love you too." With the small amount of energy I had left in me, we made love.

Almost asleep, I rubbed my hands all over the curves of her body not wanting to miss a moment with her. Not even to rest. Over the months that I've been gone, I noticed that her body had changed. Her stomach, which was normally flat, was swollen and firm. She placed her hand on mine and turned to face me.

"I'm four months pregnant, Zaagan." Her eyes were filled with worry. "What are we going to do?"

"Don't worry, love. We'll figure it out." I placed my lips to her forehead to try and calm her.

She won't be able to hide this for much longer. In all honesty, I didn't even think we could reproduce. I lay there thinking about what our child would look like. Would it be a mix of her and me? Or would it look completely Khajiit or Nord? With so many questions buzzing through my head it was almost impossible to sleep despite my exhaustion. After hours of trying to sleep I finally dozed off into a dreamless slumber. I woke slightly when I felt her stand from the bed. My eyes felt too heavy to open but I could hear her dressing. Once she was dressed she leaned over the bed and placed a kiss on my lips.

She whispered, "I love you, I'll be back tonight."

I managed to mumble and incoherent I love you too. She giggled a moment and kissed me again. I fell back into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was barely rising when I walked out the doors of Hjerim. Only a few merchants were out and I waved at them briefly before continuing on my way to the Palace of Kings. I could no longer call it home, because it did not feel as such. My home was with Zaagan in Hjerim. Cautiously, I entered the throne room, only to be greeted by my angry father.

"Heulwen, where have you been?" He shouted.

"I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk." I shrugged and walked to the dining table.

I was completely famished and I immediately tore into a sweetroll. He walked over and sat beside me.

"Well, the next time you decide to go out on your own please let either me or Jarlief know where you are going."

I nodded my head and continued chewing the sweetroll.

"I have someone I'd like for you to meet."

Oh no, here we go again. It had been a while since father had tried to get me to be interested romantically in one of his soldiers. I thought maybe he had given up once and for all. I should've known that would be wishful thinking. He left briefly and came back with a sturdy looking man, maybe a few years older than me. He had a long brown beard and a scar down his cheek. He was wearing traditional Stormcloak armor with a giant battle axe strapped to his back.

"This is Olan Bear-Crusher." My father stated.

I stood from the table and bowed. "Nice to meet you Olan, I'm Heulwen."

"Your beauty surpasses every description I've heard of you."

"Thank you," I wasn't sure what to say, people talk about my looks?

I sat back down and by this time most of the soldiers were also sitting at the table. They were hanging on every word that my father spoke. He was currently speaking of Whiterun, and how the Jarl there had not yet chosen a side. Olan was staring at me from across the table, I tried to pay no mind to him but I could feel his stare burning through me. When the meeting was over, I retired to my chambers. I lay on my bed and stared at the beautiful ring on my finger. Three bright green emeralds glistened against a silver band. Zaagan had taken so much care in putting it together. He had searched all over Skyrim to find the perfect stones for my ring. I was abruptly pulled from my musings when my father walked in.

"I have something for you." I sat up on my bed and looked at him. "Here let me put it on for you." He placed a necklace around my neck and held out a mirror for me to see it.

Upon glancing at the necklace in the mirror a feeling of horror came over my being. He had placed an amulet of Mara around my neck.

I touched the jewelry hanging from my neck, "An amulet of Mara? Father, why are you giving this to me?" My heart was beating so fast in my chest that I felt like I might pass out.

"I have promised you to Olan, for joining the Stormcloaks." He smiled and I almost vomited. "He will make a good husband, Heulwen. He's strong and can work the forge with Oengul War-Anvil when we win the war."

"I am no prize to be won, nor am I a gift. I am a person, how dare you!" I stormed from the room leaving my father awe struck in my wake.

I'm normally a quiet person, but he has gone too far and I will not stand for it. I left the Palace in a fury and went down to the Grey Quarter, where I knew I wouldn't be followed by him. He would never step foot down here. I can't go back to Hjerim. Zaagan will have questions that I'm not ready to deal with yet. I don't want to talk to anyone, I just want to sit and think without interruption for a while.

**A/N: Thanks to DovahofStrunx6 for being my first reviewer! This chapter is a little shorter, but there will be more to come! So stay tuned! **


	3. Chapter 3

I woke as the sun was beginning to set. Feeling well rested, I dressed in my Nightingale armor, strapped on my bow and quiver and made my way to the Palace of Kings. It was lightly snowing and I was thankful that it wasn't actually pelting snow onto Windhelm, which was the usual. Guards were walking around nervously as if they were looking for something. I paid them no mind and walked into the throne room. Ulfric was surrounded by Stormcloaks, discussing war plans, I could only assume. I approached him and waited for him to finish talking before I interrupted.

"Oh, Zaagan, you've returned." Ulfric acknowledged me once the majority of Stormcloaks left his side to sit at the dining table. Only two remained beside him, Galmar Stone-Fist and another man that I didn't recognize. "Here is your pay." He stated as he handed me a bag full of coins.

"Thank you, is there anything you need of me right now?" I begrudgingly asked.

"Not right now, but you can join the other soldiers at the dining table."

I nodded and took a seat at the table. Where was Heulwen? She almost never stayed in her room when she knew I would be coming to see her. I couldn't go and look for her without seeming suspicious, so I remained at the table becoming more anxious by the second. Ulfric did not join us, he was discussing strategy with Galmar in the other room. I took a deep drink of ale and continued to scan the room for her.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Olan Bear-Crusher." He reached his hand across the table for me to shake.

"Zaagan," I replied as I took his hand.

"What brings a Khajiit to work for Ulfric?" He asked with almost a hint of sarcasm to his voice.

"I don't work for Ulfric necessarily. I do work all over Skyrim. I just happen to be in Windhelm for the time being." I stated with a growl, "What brings you to Windhelm? Do you like being Ulfric's pony boy?"

A glint of hostility became present in his eye, it was clear to me that he was like every other Nord in this room. They hated the very sight of me.

"Actually I was promised quite a gift for joining the Stormcloak ranks." He laughed and the other soldiers joined in with him.

I felt left out of the joke, "Oh really? What kind of gift?" I assumed it was some kind of armor or weapon that he was referring to.

"A wife with beauty that is talked about all over Skyrim." He replied as he stuck out his chest with pride.

I felt the blood rush to my face when I realized he was talking about Heulwen. I couldn't contain my emotions and a growl came from my mouth. I had a tight grip on my bottle of ale, so tight that I felt the glass start to give under my fingers. From the look that Olan was giving me, he knew my exact emotions. He didn't back down either.

"Aw, what's this? Has the cat got feelings for MY Heulwen?" The table erupted with laughter. "Well, I would just forget about that. She wouldn't touch you with the sharp end of a great sword."

At that point my anger was uncontrollable. I stood from the table and grabbed the front of his armor. "Back off." I hissed in anger.

He started to reach for his axe, and I was about to pull my dagger from my side holder when Ulfric entered the room.

"Stop this. Zaagan, I think you should leave." The Jarl stated as we both backed down.

I sheathed my dagger and growled a moment at Olan, before being escorted out of the building. I pulled free from the guards grasp. My mind was focused on only one thing, seeing Heulwen. When she finds out, she's going to be furious. It was getting dark and I knew she would be arriving at our home soon, so I made the short trek to Hjerim. When I arrived in the house, she was standing over the cooking pot, stirring something that smelled delicious. She only cooks when she's upset. This confirms my fear that she already knows about the promise her father had made. I walked up behind her and placed my arms around her waist, she relaxed her tense muscles at my touch. She turned to look at me, her eyes full of remorse.

"I have something horrible to tell you."

I pulled her even closer to me, "You don't have to talk about it right now. I know and I promise we will figure this out."

"I was thinking that maybe we should tell my father, sure, he'll be upset at first. But I'm his only daughter. He will want what's best for me." She said, as she ran her fingers over the scar on my face.

"We can tell him tomorrow if you'd like."

"I would like that. I don't want to keep our love a secret any longer." She replied, and my heart felt as if it would burst from happiness.

I picked her up and carried her up the stairs. I lay her on the bed and kissed every inch of her body. We made love for most of the night, until the sunlight was starting to peak through the windows. We lay there silently in one another's arms. Her breathing began to deepen and I knew she was asleep. I placed my hand to her stomach, still in disbelief that in a few short months, I would be a father. I pulled her close to me and drifted to sleep.

My peaceful sleep was cut short when I heard a sound resonate through the house. I shot a glance at Heulwen to see if she was sleeping. She lay there breathing softly, still sound asleep. I was relieved she hadn't woken up, so that I could sneak downstairs undetected. But, before I could even step foot out of my bedroom door, Ulfric was there staring me down with a short sword drawn at my neck. I watched silently as he looked past me and to the brunette sleeping quietly in my bed. His eyes grew with rage as he lifted his sword and beat me down with the blunt end. My vision was fading, and spots of black were swirling before my eyes like smoke. Somewhere close I heard her yelling for me, telling her father to stop. I managed to stammer out an, I love you, Heulwen. I felt her hand on my face as I tried to fight it, but soon darkness took over my being.

The smell of blood assaulted my nose. My head pounded and I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I opened my eyes and searched the pitch black for any sign of life. I blinked a few times, only to realize that I was in a dungeon and chained to a wall. There were no others in the room with me, only a few instruments of torture sat against the stone walls. I heard voices in front of me, just past the door. I could make out the voice of Olan and Galmar but the others were too unfamiliar for me to place. I fought against my restraints, pulled the chains as hard as possible but they wouldn't budge. The men were at the door now, smirking at me through the bars. Olan unlocked the door and it opened with a loud screech. They stepped in and I unleashed my thu'um upon them mercilessly.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" The fire from my mouth caught many of the Stormcloak armor on fire. I let out a loud laugh as I watched them run and try to put the fire out.

Olan slammed his hand around my neck and forced sleeping potion down my throat. Within moments, I was consumed by darkness once again. When I awoke I was aware that both my arms and legs were bound. There were whispers around me and the faint sound of crying. I opened my eyes only to realize that I was in the middle of Windhelm, tied to a wooden post. There was a crowd of bystanders, some of them sympathetically shaking their heads while others smiled and counted down the minutes to what I knew was to be my execution. I hung my head tiredly and the crying from the crowd got louder. I searched for the source of the noise when my eyes landed on hers. Her face was tear streaked and I watched as she struggled against both Galmar and Olan.

Ulfric approached me from his place at the front of his soldiers. He stood directly beside me and announced to the crowd, "For treason against the Jarl, this man is to be put to death."

Some people in the crowd cheered as they watched Ulfric pull his dagger from its sheath and coat it in poison.

"Father, no! Please don't kill him, I love him!" I heard Heulwen plead from the crowd.

Her voice was hysterical and that only seemed to anger him more, he plunged the dagger deep into my side and kicked me down. I felt the poison consuming me, setting every inch of my body on fire. I writhed in pain at his feet and I could see him smile down at me as he watched me squirm. He called Galmar and Olan to take Heulwen into the castle and I could faintly hear her crying my name as they carried her off. My last thoughts were of Heulwen and the baby. I hoped she could get away and raise our child with peace and love. I felt a smile grace my lips as my head caressed the stone steps.

**Thanks to LadyDragon1316, Y-ko and DovahofStrunx6 for the reviews! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm dedicating the song Glass by Bat for Lashes to this chapter. It feels fitting.**

I was kept locked in my quarters for a week, trapped in silence with the memories of his execution. Why hadn't I fought harder? Tears ran down my cheeks as I stared lovingly at my ring. I pressed my lips to it and walked to my window. The post he had been tied to remained, in perfect line of sight from my bedroom. They had let his body lie there for hours after his death. Jarlief seemed to be the only one in the palace with any type of sympathy toward me. He had moved Zaagan's body and set it out to sea. He always brought me my meals and stayed with me for a few hours each night.

I watched as the sun shrank in the horizon, leaving the city in darkness. Night was the hardest. I would lie awake in bed thinking about our nights together in Hjerim. There was a knock at my door, immediately followed by Jarlief entering the room. He had a platter of food, a bottle of mead and a cup of water. I pushed the mead to the side and downed the water within seconds. I motioned for Jarlief to join me at the table. I began to eat and he sat with me in silence as he usually does.

He cleared his throat as if he was about to speak but thought better of it.

"What is it, Jarlief?" I questioned between bites.

"It's just that, I…" He blushed and I instantly knew what he was blushing about. My stomach was bare; I had the top of my dress unlaced enough to only let my small swollen belly show a little bit.

Panic filled my body, "Please don't tell my father." I begged of him.

"I…I won't." He stuttered, "What are you going to do, miss?"

"I haven't quite figured it out yet. I don't have much time though, I won't be able to hide my stomach for much longer. " I admitted sadly.

I had thought of making an escape, but I didn't know where I could go. The wilderness of Skyrim is harsh and dangerous. I surely wouldn't be able to survive on my own. I had no knowledge of much of Skyrim, only having ever been out of Windhelm once when Zaagan and I traveled to Riften to get married. I turned my attention back to Jarlief who was now sitting in deep thought.

"I think I know of a way to get you out of here." He stated.

My eyes lit up, "How?"

"Zaagan's horse is still at the stables. If you take him, you could make your escape to Solitude." He paused, "Since your father is wanted there, he will not look for you there and his Stormcloaks will not be allowed behind the gate."

"But what will I do once I am there?"

"I have an old friend there who will help you if you mention my name. He runs the Winking Skeever and will surely give you a place to lay your head for a while. Gather your things and I will create a distraction for your father and the guards."

I took his hand into mine and gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you so much, Jarlief. You don't know how much this means to me."

He smiled and wiped a tear from his cheek, "I've known you since you were just a baby. I promised your mother that I wouldn't let any harm come to you." He sighed deeply and shook his head, "Enough with that, hurry now, get your things together."

He left the room and I immediately started packing my things. I only packed the basics of what I would need, a few dresses, potions and a bedroll along with food and water. I tossed my bag over my shoulder and slowly walked downstairs. I could hear Jarlief talking to my father and the guards. I waited and listened to what was said.

"My Jarl, some of the prisoners are causing a riot."

"Head down there and calm them down, use force if you need to." He instructed the guards.

Oh no, my father wasn't planning on going down with the guards. How would I escape now?

"They are asking to talk to you, Jarl Ulfric."

"Very well then,"

I watched from the dark corner as he stood from his throne and walked in front of the guards to the barracks room. Jarlief waited behind and came to get me.

"Go quickly and cover yourself with this," He handed me a shroud to tie around my head, "When you arrive in Solitude go to the Winking Skeever and ask for Corpulus Vinius. Tell him I sent you."

I fled the palace in a frenzy, ignoring looks from citizens as I ran past them and to the stables. At the end of the stable stood Zaagan's horse Shadowmere, I approached him slowly, only having ever met the horse one time. I placed my hand gently on his muzzle to see if he would accept me. He moved his head towards mine and nuzzled me gently. I let out a sigh of relief and climbed onto his large back. He started off with a slow trot before speeding up and sprinting away from Windhelm, the only home I had ever known. I felt no remorse as we sped away, watching the walls shrink into the distance. The feeling of freedom washed over me, I only wished that Zaagan could be here to flee with me. I swatted tears from my eyes and focused on the road ahead of me. We rode straight through till morning and once the sun started to rise we stopped to eat and drink. Shadowmere didn't wander far away from me as he grazed and drank from the coursing river. I pulled out my bedroll and lay beside the fire. I was thankful that we had made it far enough south that it was no longer snowing. The fire added just enough warmth for me to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

I was woken up by the sound of voices getting closer. I moved behind Shadowmere for protection. As they approached I could clearly make out an oncoming Khajiit caravan. They stared at me warily, not sure if I was friendly or not. I moved from behind the intimidating horse and approached them quietly. In my haste to leave the palace, I had forgotten to pack a map and I was hoping they would have one I could use to get to Solitude.

"H…Hello." I stuttered, "Who are you?"

The Khajiit wearing armor approached me, "My name is Kharjo, and I guard this caravan."

"I mean you no harm, I was only wondering if you might have a map I could use. I'm on my way to Solitude and I am hopelessly lost."

He gave me a sympathetic look before turning to his fellow people. I could hear them whispering but I couldn't quite make out what they were saying. The female pulled a piece of parchment from her pocket and handed it to Kharjo. He brought it to me with the still concerned look on his face.

"Might I ask why you are traveling alone?"

I unfolded the piece of parchment to reveal a map of Skyrim, it was a bit worn on the edges but would get me to where I need to be.

"I…well…my love recently passed, and I was traveling to get away from bad memories." I only half-lied.

The female approached me now, "You are with child?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes," I replied as I glanced down at my stomach. Only a small bump was to be seen, the question of how she could know quickly passed through my mind.

"I have been a midwife for twenty years. I know the sight of a pregnant woman without the swollen belly. You look hungry, come and have dinner with us."

I nodded my head. I was too hungry to turn down food, and all I had packed with me was bread and apples. She turned from me back to the caravan and I followed suit. Kharjo was not far behind me, the look of concern still present on his kind face. We ate in silence until Kharjo spoke up between drinks of mead.

"What happened to your lover, if you don't mind my asking?"

I sighed, "I'm not ready to talk about it."

He nodded his head in understanding. I stood from my spot and walked toward the exit of their tent.

"I should be headed to my destination now. Thank you so much for the food and map."

Shadowmere was standing beside the river drinking deeply when I approached him. He turned to look at me as I bent down to gather up my bedroll. I climbed atop his back and nudged him in the sides to get him to run. With the map I was now on the right path to Solitude.


	5. Chapter 5

Brown eyes and pale skin flashed through my memory.

There was a throbbing pain in my side and I could feel sand under my face. I strained to open my eyes, but I couldn't see, my vision was blurred and everything seemed to be spinning. When I tried to lift myself from the sandy ground the pain in my side became ever more present. The memories of my execution came flashing back to me. How was I not dead? Ulfric had poisoned me and stabbed me. After struggling for some time, I gave up on trying to lift myself when the pain became unbearable. As my vision started to clear, I tried to fully understand where I was and how I had gotten there. There was no life around me. I was in the middle of nowhere. I lay there, body in the sand for what seemed like an eternity before I mustered up the strength to drag myself along the beach. I was able to stand once I made it to the grassy area. I noticed a cobbled road just in the distance. If I could find a town I would be able to get some kind of medical treatment.

The road seemed to stretch on for miles, with no end in sight. I was lucky that it wasn't snowing, even though that meant I was nowhere close to Windhelm. I surveyed the area and realized that I was somewhere in the Rift. My stomach ached with hunger and my throat was dry from dehydration. I wondered how long I had been lying on that beach. My strength began to wane and I had to stop and rest. I lay on the grass, grasping at my wounded side. It had begun to throb and the pain was becoming unbearable once more. I could tell that the poison had not completely left my body. I became nauseas before finally retching the poison from my system. Exhaustion soon came over me and I fell into an uneasy slumber.

The sound from oncoming horse hooves roused me from my sleep. I had no weapon to protect myself, so I prayed that it was someone friendly. Maybe they could give me a ride to the nearest town. They stopped not far from me and eyed me warily. I was grateful to see the faces of my own race. Surely they would take pity upon me. A male wearing heavy armor was the first to approach me, he stood above me before cautiously kneeling down beside me.

He looked at me with pity before asking, "Who did this to you?"

"It doesn't matter." He was taken aback by my statement, "Can you get me to the nearest town? I need medical attention."

"My companion is a midwife, she deals well with wounds of any kind. Will you allow us to help you?"

I nodded my head, and I felt him lift me from my spot on the grass and carry me to the caravan. They pulled off the road and set up camp far from sight. Once everything was situated the midwife set to work on my wound. I didn't even wince when she began to clean it. She stitched it and handed me a potion. I downed it without question and from the taste I instantly knew it was a cure disease potion. I looked at her questioningly.

"The wound had set up an infection in your side. How long have you been injured? This wound looks to be a few days old."

"I'm not sure exactly. I was to be put to death and then I woke up on the beach with a splitting headache and a side wound." I replied.

"Do you remember who did this to you?"

"Yes," I replied before letting out a shaky breath. I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

"What are your names?" I inquired.

"I am Ahkari, the one who talked to you is Kharjo." She then pointed to the other female, "She is Zaynabi and there is one other who is out gathering wood, his name is Dro'marash. What do you call yourself, stranger?"

"Zaagan," I hissed out in pain as she poured a different type of potion on my newly stitched wound.

"Do you think you can keep down some food?"

I nodded my head eagerly. The hunger pangs were becoming unbearable and the smell from the food cooking over the fire was overpowering my senses. Zaynabi handed me a bowl filled with a type of stew, full of carrots, potatoes and venison. I didn't bother waiting for it to cool and immediately started spooning it into my mouth. A disgruntled looking male walked into the clearing carrying an armload of chopped wood.

"Ahkari, we can't keep feeding random strangers that you feel pity for."

I watched as Kharjo shook his head before responding, "She was pregnant and lost, Dro'marash. We couldn't let her continue without at least giving her some food."

I perked up for a moment, a lost pregnant girl? My thoughts immediately fell on Heulwen. What if she had somehow managed to flee from Windhelm? Maybe they could give me a description of what she looked like, or maybe they had found out a name of the pregnant girl.

"What did she look like?"

He looked confused, "The girl?"

"Yes, what did she look like? Did she happen to mention a name?"

"She did not tell us her name. She only said she was traveling to Solitude." I continued to stare at him eagerly so he went on, "She was very beautiful for a Nord woman, very fair in complexion with long dark brown hair. She seemed distraught, like the loss of her lover had happened very recently."

When he mentioned her beauty and loss of a lover I knew he was talking about Heulwen. I filled with worry, knowing that she was out there right now, trying to get to Solitude by herself. I hastily stood from my seat, but just as quickly as I stood I fell back down. My head was still spinning, there would be no way I could go and search for her tonight. Kharjo looked confused by my action.

"That girl, she's my wife. I have to find a way to get to her."

Kharjo raised an eyebrow, "She is your wife?"

"Yes, I can only imagine what kind of danger she might get herself into. She's hardly ever been outside the gates of Windhelm."

"Would you allow me to travel with you? I would like to help you on your quest to find her."

I nodded my head and he helped me rise from my seat.

"Thank you for your kindness, you will not go unrewarded." I stated as Kharjo and I slowly made our way out of the tent.

We walked together to where the horses stood. I struggled only for a moment to mount the steed, before setting off into the night at full speed. I prayed that we found her soon. The forsworn were still running rampant throughout the Reach. She had no real knowledge of how to use a weapon. Why had I not taught her to protect herself? I was starting to feel crazy with worry. I needed to keep a level head if I wanted to get to her in time. My horse had slowed to a trot and Kharjo caught up to me.

"I don't mean to pry, but how did you and your wife meet?" He questioned as he slowed his horse beside me.

I let out a deep sigh and thought back to the first day I had laid eyes on her.

"I was working for the Jarl of Windhelm, when I would go to collect my coin for the jobs he sent me on she would be there waiting for me with health potions and aversion potions. Once on a particularly difficult mission in the Reach, I didn't come back for a little over three months. The night I returned to collect, she nearly attacked me with a hug. She thought I had died, and she was worry stricken. I knew I loved her long before that, but I never thought she would return the love for me. It was at that moment that I knew her feelings to be the same as mine, I told her that I loved her and she told me those same words that I had been longing to hear."

I turned to look at Kharjo, who had been riding along beside me in silence. So I continued with my story, enjoying how it felt to talk about Heulwen.

"After we were together for nearly a year, I decided it was time to ask her to marry me. It was strange, it's not typical for our race to marry. But, I knew that it was something that she wanted and something that I wanted as well. So I spent weeks tracking down the perfect stone for her matrimony band. I asked for her to be mine and to walk through life with me. When she said yes…that's when my life truly began. We traveled to Riften to marry at the Temple of Mara. I had spoken with the Jarl, I told him that the Jarl of Riften had requested for Heulwen to attend a banquet for her son. Since Jarl Ulfric was too concerned with the goings on of his Stormcloaks, he entrusted me to take his daughter to Riften."

Kharjo interrupted me, "Your Heulwen is the daughter of the leader of the Stormcloaks?"

"Yes, which is why you found me in the condition I was in. He broke into my home, knocked me out, drugged me, poisoned me and publicly executed me. Well, tried to publicly execute me."

Kharjo let out a small laugh, but once my story was done, we continued to ride in silence. The sun was slowly starting to rise and the wildlife of Skyrim was starting to rise for the day. A group of elk scattered as we came upon them on the path. Our horses were exhausted so we stopped for a while so they could drink from the stream and graze before setting off again. My side wound had almost completely healed from the potion that Ahkari had applied to it. They would never truly understand how grateful I am for the things that they did for me. I walked to the stream where the horses were drinking and studied it for a moment. Salmon were swimming all about the narrow stream. Bracing myself, I plunged my hand into the shallow stream to grab one of the fish. Once I had a firm hold on the fish I tossed it on the bank behind me, I caught one more the same way and tossed it on the bank beside the other.

I scooped the fish up and placed them on a rock. I took a gulp of breath, before releasing my fire shout onto the fish. The fish cooked well but I had shouted a little too strongly and the fish were mildly burnt. I motioned for Kharjo to come over but he was rooted to the spot. I quickly realized that I had forgotten to mention that I was the dragonborn. It's not something that I really like to go around announcing, but it would only be fair to someone traveling with me to know who I really am.

"You…shouted fire." He finally spoke with a startled voice.

I laughed loudly and set into the tale of how I discovered that I was the Dovahkiin.


	6. Chapter 6

I had been riding for what felt like days before I finally came up on a town. I dismounted Shadowmere and left him at the stables to graze. The stable owner instructed me that this town was Whiterun. My father had talked a lot about Whiterun as of recent. I knew that the Jarl there had not yet chosen a side in the war. I walked up the stone pathway until I approached the doors leading to the city. That's when a guard stopped me.

"There are dragons about miss. The city is closed to visitors."

I paused as panicked thoughts coursed through my mind. No words came from my lips. What would I do now? I was completely out of food and I needed to enter the city to purchase more. Seeing the panic that was evident on my face the guard sighed and stepped to the side to allow my entrance into the city.

"Thank you so much sir, I appreciate this more than you will ever know."

He nodded but said nothing as I opened the door to Whiterun.

The city was alive with people. I could hear vendors shouting out prices in the distance, so I followed their voices. I approached a woman that had a booth with vegetables of all types set on display. My stomach growled at the very sight of the ripe red tomatoes and leafy green cabbages. I purchased three of each, thanked her for her time and moved over to the elf that was selling meats.

"All of these meats are choice cut, the best in all of Skyrim." He stated as I looked over his selection.

It wasn't long before I purchased venison and added it to my bag of supplies. I took a short walk around the city, admiring its warmth. The town was quaint and the people were very friendly toward me. I can only hope Solitude will feel the same. Windhelm will always be my home, but I will never return back to that place. It holds too many bad memories for me to bare it. As I was walking through the city I gathered some lavender and blue and red mountain flowers. My stomach was starting to feel a bit nauseas and I needed to mix up a potion so I could eat. On my way to the vendors I had noticed an alchemy shop. With any luck the owner would let me use the alchemy lab.

I headed back toward the market square, passing several on lookers as I went. It seemed that the people of Whiterun weren't necessarily used to having outsiders in their city, but they all seemed friendly enough. I entered the alchemy shop and was immediately greeted by the shop owner.

"Welcome to Arcadia's Cauldron, feel free to take a look around. I have a full stock of potions and alchemy reagents."

I nodded and looked toward the alchemy lab in the corner of the room. "Could I use the alchemy lab?"

"Of course, as long as you clean up afterward."

I set to it, crushing up my ingredients with mortar and pestle. While I was preparing the ingredients Arcadia asked me an earful of questions about who I was and where I was traveling from. Not wanting my true identity to be known, I changed my story a bit, stating that I was traveling from Riften and stopped in Whiterun for ingredients. She was telling me about life in Cyrodiil when I finished with my potions. I quickly poured the contents of my nausea potion down my throat. My quesyness subsided as soon as the potion touched my tongue. I smiled with relief and made my way to exit the shop.

"Thanks again for letting me use your lab."

"That was quite a potion you mixed up, how long have you been studying alchemy?"

"Well, I guess you could say I've been studying since I could walk. I've always been fascinated with what the ingredients can create, even if the potion doesn't turn out the way I expected."

"I've been waiting for someone like you to enter my shop, I have to leave to Cyrodiil soon, as my mother is very ill and needs someone to take care of her. But I've not been able to travel out of the city because I have no one to watch my shop. I need an experienced alchemist like you."

"I'm not sure if I could do that…I'm on my way to Solitude." I replied solemnly. I truly wanted to help her, but she's a stranger and I can't spend a lot of time in this city.

I watched in silence as her shoulders slumped and at that moment I wondered what Zaagan would do. He was the dragonborn always making sacrifices for everyone even if they were complete strangers. Besides that Whiterun seems like a friendly little town and Solitude is very far away. Traveling there would put both me and my unborn baby at risk.

"I guess I could stay in the city and take care of your shop for you." I replied as a feeling of excitement washed over me. It felt good to be excited and the look on Arcadia's face was heartwarming.

She hugged me and I heard a sob escape her. "Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me." She regained her composure and held on to my shoulders, "I don't think you told me your name."

My mind raced, I couldn't tell her my true name for fear that my father was searching for me. He can't get wind of where I am, or he will come and take me away. The thought made me shake with fear. I had to think of a quick name, so I looked all over the shop for something to give me an idea. I looked to her counter for inspiration, laying atop of the counter were potion bottles, deathbells, salt piles and then my eyes fell on a basket full of juniper berries.

"Juniper, my name is Juniper." I replied with a smile.

"Well, Juniper, come with me and I'll show you around the shop." I followed her as she showed me the potions along the shelves and where each and every herb was located. Once that was finished she opened two side by side doors which revealed a bedroom. "If you'd like you can sleep here and make it a semi-permanent home, that is if you don't already have a place to stay."

I felt a grateful wave of relief pass over me, I didn't have a place to stay and I was running low on money. Taking this job for a while would be good for me. "It would be great to stay here," I replied.

"Well consider it your home until I return." She replied with a smile. "I'm just going to gather some things and hit the road. I know it's sudden, but I really can't waste any time, I need to get there soon.

I nodded my head in understanding and watched as she rushed around the room grabbing clothing, potions and food. She had several bags full of items before she deemed herself ready for travel.

"I really must be going, oh and, keep some coin for yourself as well so you can buy things you need."

My next few days of working in the shop were rather uneventful. I had very few customers and the ones that did walk in were only interested in using the alchemy lab. I decided that in order to bring money into the shop, I needed to walk out into the market square with my potions. I gathered up some poisons, health and magic potions and placed them with a few soul gems in a wooden box. I carried them out to the market square.

"Hello sir, do you need any elixirs or gems today?"

He smiled but nodded his head no before walking briskly past me. A group of warrior looking people approached me, the female approached me first with the two men hanging in the back. She had shoulder length red hair and was quite intimidating.

"I will purchase some of those health potions, we are heading out to take care of a bandit problem."

I nodded and placed the potions in her hand.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before. New in town?" She questioned.

"Uhm, yes, I am new. I'm minding Arcadia's shop while she is Cyrodiil."

"Well, we will be seeing quite a bit of each other then. Either Vilkas or myself will be in to purchase potions before each mission."

"I'm Vilkas," He stated as he shoved his meaty hand into mine.

I shook his hand in return and replied, "My name is Juniper, it's nice to meet you."

He flashed me a smile and stared me up and down for a moment. The red headed woman nudged him and laughed before introducing herself, "I'm Aela, we're members of a group called the companions."

I almost dropped the wooden box when the words companion fell from her mouth. Zaagan was the Harbinger, he had been through so much with these people and they had no idea what had become of him. I decided that I would tell them myself, when the time is right. I realized that now is not the time, they are about to go into battle, it would not serve well for them to go with heavy hearts. I watched as they took their leave and exited through the gates of the city. The recent memory of Zaagan had put a damper on my spirits so I went back inside the store to lock up for the night.

What I need right now is a warm meal and my bed.


End file.
